


Gardenias and Fortune Cookies

by CrazyKitCat, Zabethou



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Smut, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:06:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29356173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyKitCat/pseuds/CrazyKitCat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zabethou/pseuds/Zabethou
Summary: Hermione and Fred have liked each other for years. But when both are too nervous to ask each other out, will they ever get their happily ever after? And what do gardenias and fortune cookies have to do with anything?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Comments: 7
Kudos: 42
Collections: With Love Weasley





	Gardenias and Fortune Cookies

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [With_Love_Weasley](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/With_Love_Weasley) collection. 



> **Prompt:**  
>  One of the twins is in love, but so nervous he can't talk to the girl. His twin asks the girl out pretending to be the one in love. The twin in love begs the other to come to the place of their date and help him woo the girl.

Hermione sighed as she collapsed into a chair next to her best friend, Harry Potter.

“I’m so tired of guys being clueless,” she sighed.

“He still hasn’t asked you out yet?” Harry asked, referencing the one man Hermione had harbored a crush on for the last five years.

“No,” Hermione moaned as she took a long draw from the Earl Grey tea that Harry had purchased for her before she arrived.

“Why don’t you ask him out yourself?” Harry asked, seemingly innocently. Hermione glared at him. Harry raised his hands in defense. “I only meant that you’re a lovely girl and any guy would be happy to have you as their girlfriend, but may feel too intimidated to ask you out themselves.”

“Then he wouldn’t deserve my company,” Hermione sniffed. “I deserve to be pursued.”

“Of course,” Harry nodded in agreement, hiding his smile as best as he could. “But no guy is really confident asking a confident woman like you out.”

“And that’s the problem Harry!” Hermione moaned again, this time in relief as the warmth from her drink slowly defrosted her fingers from the biting cold of the winter humidity that plagued London’s streets that February. “I deserve to be pursued, but Fred doesn’t seem to want to approach me himself.”

“How about a compromise,” Harry offered. “You ask Fred out _and_ stop moping and I’ll buy you a new bottle of that nice elf-wine you like?”

Hermione hesitated, her fingers twitching against her mug.

“What if I’ve been reading him wrong and he doesn’t actually like me _that way_ and I ruin the friendship we _do_ have because of it?” Hermione hated to feel conflicted, but she felt she’d be remiss to not mention her biggest fear. “We spend so much time together these days. We have movie nights and enjoy each other’s banter. What if asking him out destroys what we _do_ have while hoping for more? I’d rather have him the way I do now than not at all.”

Harry stared at her sympathetically.

“If that happens,” he told her, taking her hand to stare into her eyes so she could see how serious he was. “Then I’ll help hide his body when you’re through hexing him and I’ll find you a nice Auror or Ministry worker who _isn’t_ blind and a moron.”

Hermione laughed as a feeling of relief settled on her shoulders at the look in Harry’s eyes and the promise in them.

“The latter part isn’t needed, but I appreciate the thought,” Hermione smiled in gratitude. “Are you _sure_ I’m not risking making a fool of myself?”

“I’m positive,” Harry responded, immediately. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He always seems to be staring at the apothecary from the front of the shop whenever he’s restocking. Plus he looks like a lovesick puppy whenever you bring a new batch of ingredients to the store. I’m actually willing to bet Galleons that he’s having the same concerns as you right now.”

Hermione’s jaw dropped in surprise.

“Please tell me you’re joking,” she begged. “He’s _Fred Weasley_. The better looking half of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes? The mastermind behind the permanent swamp in Hogwarts? He’s way too assured and confident to be nervous about something like that!”

“Wanna bet?” Harry asked. “Because I’m definitely willing to.”

Hermione stared him down before deciding to relent. It had really been far too long since she’d last been on a date and she was worried that she’d go crazy if she continued playing the ‘what if’ game with Fred. Either he was interested or he wasn’t. After five years, she’d rather know now so that she could nurse her wounded heart and move on, rather than wait in agony.

“If I text him,” she started, planning on defining the rules of their agreement. “Then you have to buy our lunch _and_ order me a dessert while I’m messaging him.”

“Done,” Harry said, smirking. “And if you chicken out without having _asked_ , then you’re buying lunch and you owe me a coffee before I go back to work.”

“Then we have an agreement,” Hermione announced, reaching into her beaded bag. Pulling out her cell phone — because quills and parchment really were just a pain in comparison — she slowly typed up an SMS message asking Fred to dinner on a date by hitting the number keys until the letter desired appeared on her screen. When the message was finally complete, she clicked ‘send’. Turning the screen around, she showed Harry the message.

“Why is Fred listed as ‘the handsome twin’?” Harry asked after reading the sent message.

“I don’t know,” Hermione shrugged. “I think George changed it when he stole my phone last week. I haven’t bothered to figure out how to change it back yet.”

“What’s George listed as?” Harry asked with a chuckle.

“He put himself in as ‘the favorite twin’, if you can believe it,” Hermione laughed. “He should know that he should only be Lee’s favorite!”

Harry nodded in agreement as the waiter brought their food.

As the minutes wore on, Hermione felt her confidence dwindling while she stared at her phone. What was she thinking asking him out like this? There was no way he was interested in _her_. Frumpy outfits, the smell of an apothecary, and ink almost always smeared across her face. What did she have to offer a guy like him?

Fred Weasley constantly had a swarm of gorgeous women fluttering around his shop and he was known to flirt with them relentlessly. She had even seen him making suggestions for Wonder Witch products to a beautiful witch the other day. Just because she fantasized about him asking her out didn’t mean she believed he ever actually would.

As those thoughts consumed her, Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat as if she was preparing to flee the restaurant in an attempt to escape her imagination. What if she’d misread the signals? What if he was just being polite? What if he wasn’t really interested in her _that way_?

She clutched her chest as she breathed in panic. Had she really just been so bold as to ask out her long-time crush in a _text message_? She couldn’t believe her audacity. She may have been confident in school, but that kind of confidence had never translated to her dating — or non-dating — life.

“Hey! Hey,” Harry soothed as she leaned back heavily into her seat. “It’s going to be okay. He _likes_ you. I promise. You don’t have to worry this much!”

“I know you _think_ so,” Hermione confirmed, her tone one of shock. “But that was terrifying. He’s so nice and funny and I like being around him and I just couldn’t handle it if I’ve ruined everything.”

At that exact moment, her phone chimed. Snatching it up immediately, she opened her messages to read his response:

“Hi! I respect your confidence to ask me out, but you may have better luck with Fred. Want me to pass on the message? - G”

Hermione’s heart started racing at the same time embarrassment hit her like a freight train. How could she have made a mistake like that? George was such an ass! Of _course_ he’d list himself as the ‘handsome twin’ and not correct her when she’d been texting _him_ all week instead of his brother. She’d hex the crap out of him next time she saw him.

Swallowing her ire, she quickly typed out a quick message and hit ‘send’ before she could think through the implications thoroughly.

“George, you ass! Please do. And fix the names on my phone! I’d appreciate it. Thank you. - H”

Harry leaned over the table to sneak a peek at her phone. Harry blinked at her. Then he blinked again. After a third blink, he burst into laughter.

“That is _golden_ Mia. How’d you ask out the wrong twin?”

“In my defense,” Hermione replied. “George impersonated him for a whole week before adding back his signature. And the full moon was yesterday, you know what brewing the wolfsbane potion does to my sleep schedule. I never actually _knew_ he was the wrong twin.”

Harry was too busy laughing to bother to breathe after that, so Hermione helped herself to a ten pound note from his wallet, patted him on his head and left the restaurant. He had promised to buy her dessert and she didn’t need to enjoy it while he laughed at her. She was going to pick herself up a butterbeer ice cream from Fortescue’s and enjoy it on her own at her shop.

* * *

“Very interesting,” George Weasley murmured as he looked at the cellphone in his hands, grinning.

“Hey Gred,” Fred announced as he walked into the main area of the shop from where he had been working on potions in the back room. “If Lee is sexting you during work hours, I don’t want to know about it. Please just get back to work and stop smiling like that.”

“You should know it was only my favorite adorable apothecary-slash-tea-shop owner from across the street,” George told his twin as he pocketed his phone and kept cleaning up around the shop.

Fred dropped what he had been carrying as he jolted at the reference of their little brother’s best friend whom he’d been growing closer to over the past few years. Specifically, the one whom he was trying to muster the courage to ask out.

Blushing in embarrassment as George gave him a sly grin, Fred crouched down to pick up the spilled contents of his box.

“What did she want?” He asked curiously as he stood up again.

“The witch asked me out,” George replied casually, knowing he was getting under his twin brother’s skin. “Turns out I was right all along and she’s another one of my fans!”

“You’re pulling my leg,” Fred insisted. “There’s no way she asked you out. She knows you’re with Lee, right? Like… She knows you’re _gay_.”

“Read it and weep, brother of mine,” George laughed as he tossed his phone to his brother.

“I can’t believe it,” Fred’s jaw dropped as he read the name clearly printed on the small screen. “She’s known you for years, there’s no way she doesn’t know about you and Lee. She was _at your engagement party!_ Are you messing with me?”

“To be fair, she probably was mistaken in her targeted audience,” George scratched his chin guiltily. “There _is_ a chance I changed the names in her phone’s address book as a joke. I’m sure she wasn’t planning on asking _me_ out,” George revealed, finally taking pity on his panicking brother before returning to his previous teasing. “I _was_ planning on letting her down gently later. I do feel bad though. The poor thing’s probably already smitten.”

“Sod off,” Fred practically growled. His crush was not a secret to his twin. “If she needs to get out and go on a date _that_ badly that she’d text _your_ sorry ass, I’d rather take her out than let you continue to tease her.”

“You know,” George tapped his chin as if in deep thought. “You _may_ have actually been her goal target if she was texting ‘the favorite twin’.”

“Tell her that I’m free,” Fred ordered his brother. “Why would you change the names on her phone?”

“Because I was bored?” George offered. “She was at our place for Chinese food and her phone was _right there_. What was I supposed to do? ‘Leave it alone’?”

“In a word? _Yes_. Now text her,” Fred ordered his brother.

“What should I say, oh great master?” George asked sarcastically.

“That she is a dear friend and I would love to — no, it would be my pleasure to help out if — well, that if she needs a date…” Fred trailed off.

“The translation to _that_ , being that you’ve been salivating after her for years, but have been petrified that she’d reject you, so you never asked her out yourself, but now that she’s obviously interested, you’re asking your favorite brother to do it for you?”

“Shut up, you prat,” Fred frowned. “It’s not like that.”

“Is it not?” George asked. “Did you not _just_ ask me — your gay brother — to ask her out _for you_?”

“I did, but... Okay, fine it _is_ like that, but instead of rejecting her, just ask if she’d like for you to pass along her request to your more attractive and _straight_ twin. If she says yes, I’ll stop by the apothecary to ask her out myself.”

“A much better plan,” George rolled his eyes. “I _guess_ I’ll be your wingman, but you owe me!”

“If I can get a date with the witch,” Fred replied as he set up his box of displays, “Then I’ll pay for your next fancy date night with Lee.”

George’s grin was as wide as the cat who stole the cream when he shook his twin’s hand in confirmation.

Easiest way to win a dinner date ever.

* * *

After sending his response, Fred and George waited anxiously for her response.

When the SMS tone finally chimed, both brothers dove for the phone on the counter. George got to the device first and quickly opened the texting application. He guffawed in amusement when he read her response.

Fred just lit up like a Christmas tree.

“She likes me! What do I say? Should I ask her out? How do you ask a witch out, George?”

Arching an eyebrow, George just blinked slowly and turned his head to look at Fred incredulously, waiting for him to realise what he had just said. 

“You know what I mean, you git,” Fred amended. “I have not asked anyone out since I asked Angelina to the Yule Ball, and we both know how _that_ turned out.”

“You mean how she only said yes because she fancied _me_ since I hadn’t come out yet and how you were more heartbroken by that than you ever let on to anyone else?”

“Exactly!” Fred sighed. “How do I ask _Hermione_ out? You know I’ve liked her for a while. I want it to be memorable if she likes me too.”

“I’m surrounded by saps,” George shook his head. “Who’s that author she really likes?”

“Jane Austen?” Fred questioned, wondering where his brother was going with this.

“That’s the one!” George snapped his fingers. “Doesn’t she write a lot about flowers and their meanings?”

“That would be Shakespeare,” Fred corrected.

“Who cares!” George threw his hands up in the air.

“Apparently _you_ do?” Fred was beyond baffled at this point. “What does any of this have to do with—”

“My _point_ is that you should ask her out by giving her _flowers_ that convey your intentions!” George exclaimed. “She reads enough of those books, I’m pretty sure she’d pick up your meaning immediately.”

“Oh,” Fred reeled back in surprise. “That—that’s brilliant actually.”

“Thanks,” George rolled his eyes as he grabbed a rag to start cleaning the countertop. “It’s been known to happen occasionally. Now go ask her out!”

On his walk over to her apothecary, Fred stooped to the ground and picked some scraggly weeds. Pulling out his wand, he transfigured them into a single gardenia. He knew very little about flowers, but he knew that one could give gardenia to convey a deep old fashioned feeling on a first date. Usually, the man who brings a gardenia is best friends with the woman he is buying for. Or in this case, transfiguring. He inhaled the lovely perfume and cast a permanent stasis charm on the transfiguration.

Walking across the street, he entered the apothecary and nodded at the few people enjoying their tea.

“Hey, Hermione,” Fred greeted the witch when he made it to the counter. “My brother told me you were looking for a tall gorgeous redhead and since he isn’t available, I figured I’d offer my services.”

“Hello Fred.” Hermione quickly set her ice cream aside and wiped her hands on her apron before she gently accepted his offered flower. Inhaling its fragrant perfume, she beamed at him while trying to use the large bloom to hide her blush. “Thank you. Gardenias are one of my favorites.”

“Glad to know you have good taste,” he winked. “I was worried after you asked _George_ out. I am definitely the better looking twin, after all. We _all_ know that!”

“In my defense, I _thought_ I was texting you,” Hermione bantered back as she pulled out her phone to show him. “George put himself in as ‘the handsome one’ and I thought he was ‘the favo— Let’s just say I made a mistake,” she cut off her previous sentence with a blush.

“Come on,” he grinned. “What did he put my name under?”

“The favulutin,” Hermione mumbled under her breath. Fred furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

“Sorry. I didn’t quite catch that?”

“The favorite twin!” she huffed. “He listed you as ‘the Favorite Twin’, which I guess makes sense if he knew I liked you.”

“ _Am_ I the favorite one?”

“After today, of course you are. But I will admit I favored you before that,” Hermione admitted while glowing a red that rivalled the subtle Valentine’s Day decor around them. “I also think you’re the handsome and funny one. That’s why I swallowed my pride enough to ask you out. I understand if you’re not interested though.”

“As for the question you asked my brother first, I am _very_ interested in taking you out. How about later tonight? Would seven in the evening at the new Italian restaurant next to Ollivander’s work for you?”

“I would be delighted to have dinner with you,” Hermione’s smile lit up the room. “It’s a date.”

Fred felt as if he were on cloud nine as he left the apothecary.

His confidence lasted just as long as the walk back to his joke shop. The second he walked in the door, he was hit with an emotional wave of insecurities brought about from previous flings who never seemed to like him past his money and success. He knew Hermione was different and never cared about his financial success aside from how he felt about it, but that gave him even more reason to panic about messing up.

“Shit. George, I need your help,” he called out when he practically ripped the door off its hinges to get inside. “I can’t go alone, I will crash and burn. She’s gonna hate it and not want to see me again and she works across the street and I will see her everyday and…”

_SPLASH_

Fred froze in place. His face was full of whipped cream.

_The Pie-Faced Marbles._

One of their newer products were little marbles filled with whipped cream which exploded when thrown at someone’s face. Best sellers actually, but why had George thrown one at — oh. He was panicking.

“Are you calmer now?” asked George. With a wave of his wand, Fred’s face was clean again.

“Thank you,” said Fred. “I needed that.” Taking a deep breath, he continued. “But I still can’t do it on my own. I need you to go with me.”

“What? What do you mean, _go with you?_ Are you really telling me that you need me to hold your hand and tell you how to woo a witch?” George exclaimed. “News flash: _I’m gay_.”

“I don’t mean for you to sleep with the girl, you git,” Fred explained. “I just need… help. I don’t know what I’m doing. You could listen in on our conversation and give me pointers with the new spyware we’re testing, and then with backup this could be the best date ever without all the stress of an actual first date.”

“This is your worst idea ever. Okay,” he adjusted, seeing Fred ready to argue. “Maybe not worse than your decision to date Angelina, but a close second. I can’t just be you for a night and feed you everything you have to say!”

“Why not?” asked Fred.

“One, I’m gay. Two, I am engaged. Three, this is weird. Four, she _knows_ me. She’ll see through your ridiculous plan right away.”

“Please? I will owe you big time. And of course we’re telling Lee, I would never ask you to do something like that behind his back.”

“No, you’re just trying to trick the girl you want to start a relationship with. Very healthy.”

“It’s not tricking, I’ll explain later, I’m sure she’ll understand. Please, I’ll owe you another date!”

“A date?”

“Assuming Lee agrees, I’m paying for your anniversary date. It’s all on me. Please brother, if I settle down, that gives you more time alone with your fiancé. 

“Alright. I’ll do it. _If_ Lee agrees. And you’re paying for the _fancy_ champagne, not that bottle of crap you used to get from the Leaky.”

* * *

When Hermione arrived at the restaurant, the Maitre D quickly showed her the way to the booth where she could already see Fred sitting. He stood up as she approached, and let out an appreciative hum. 

“Wow! You look really nice tonight, Hermione,” he said as he kissed her cheek. “This jacket suits you perfectly.”

She typically wore whatever was comfortable, but tonight she wanted to let her feminine side out and wore a dark blue knee-length dress with a pattern of small silver stars coating it. Accompanying it with dark tights and leather ankle boots, she felt relatively warm _and_ stylish. She had completed the look with her favorite leather jacket, stashed her small purse in the charmed inner pocket and slipped her wand into her hidden thigh holster.

Blushing, Hermione thanked him and they sat on opposite sides of the booth. Looking at him now, in everyday clothes instead of his store robes, she could appreciate how his nice figure had stayed toned over the years. He was wearing a nice cream button down shirt with a navy sweater that hugged his shoulders. She liked seeing the more casual and mature Fred when he wasn’t playing up his prankster side for work. He’d always be playful and a bit of a showman, but when they were alone, he was much more relaxed than his prankster persona. Seeing behind his professional mask always made her feel closer to him.

Conversation flowed nicely. They talked a little bit about their Hogwarts adventures and their families. The waiter had just brought their drinks when she asked him about how the shop was doing with George now managing their second store.

* * *

Across the partition separating the booths, George tensed in his seat. He adjusted the cap on his head and sank in his seat to hide his presence as more patrons walked by. The last thing he needed was to be recognized by someone and attract Hermione’s attention. He pushed back the pair of wire framed glasses up his nose and touched the corner of the frame to reactivate the charm within. 

His fake glasses were one of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes newest products. The frames were still being tested, but they were paired with a small camera that could be applied to any surface and disillusion itself to blend in, then transfert the visual to the glasses. Their last problem to fix was to make the transmission last more than 30 seconds. Right now, the little sticker was fixed to the button on Fred’s shirt and it gave George a perfect view of Hermione Granger’s face as she talked animatedly about her work.

He could also hear perfectly on the other side of the partition, even without the help of an Extendable-Ear.

He was starting to get bored as Fred hadn’t needed his help so far. It was obvious to anyone listening that Fred and Hermione had great chemistry and got along just fine. George really wasn’t needed to help Fred. The only benefit to this incredibly boring evening was that he at least got two dates with his handsome fiancé paid for courtesy of his twin. Trying to focus, he tuned back into what his brother was saying.

“As you know, we opened the Diagon Alley location when we left school and we had a lot of success quickly. Since most of our target customers are in Hogwarts for most of the year, Hogsmeade seemed like a logical choice when we talked about expanding. Lee also wanted to settle down a little bit, so they moved to the village and I stayed in town. An added bonus was that it gave me a reason to stay close to the cute potion mistress who owns the shop across the street from mine. It’s just too bad she thinks my brother is more handsome,” he joked.

George was happily surprised. He couldn’t tell if it was because Fred was so effortlessly flirting with Hermione, or because it was _working._ He could see her blushing and smiling up at him, even when his twin was just being ridiculous. Those two had been dancing around each other for _years_ . If he had known how easy it would’ve been to get them together, he would have schemed with Harry _long_ before now.

As he reflected on the situation, he realized the glasses had turned off again. Reactivating them, he was surprised by the sight of an empty both. Turning around, he took the glasses off and subtly looked over the edge to peer at the couple, trying to see if he could figure out what had happened. 

* * *

Hermione laughed at another self-deprecating joke Fred had just said. She was having way more fun than she’d anticipated, and was relieved that they had such an easy companionship. She was starting to hope maybe their relationship would evolve beyond a few dates and become serious in the future. It was far too soon to say for certain, but she’d be lying if she said that wasn’t appealing to her.

Caught off-guard by something else he said, she snorted a little wine and it went up her nose. After a little cough and a sheepish look, she assured him she was fine. 

“Just give me a minute, I need to powder my nose. I’ll be right back,” she smiled. Standing up from the booth, she walked toward the bathroom in the back of the restaurant.

Quickly blowing her nose, checking her makeup, and washing her hands, Hermione exited the restroom in record time.

On her way back to her booth, she looked up just in time to avoid running into another customer and froze. In front of her was a tall redhead sitting just on the other side of the partition where Fred was seated. She could easily see through George’s poorly-assembled disguise. He was sitting in a corner and pressing what looked like an Extendable Ear to his own. He was wearing a cap and a ridiculous jumper, doodling in a notebook.

What the hell was going on? Was this some kind of prank? Why was George tagging along on his brother’s date? None of this made any sense at all. 

Looking closely, she could see he was obviously bored. Knowing the twins, George had most likely tagged along as backup for Fred. Smirking, Hermione walked around to Fred’s and her booth and pulled her jacket on.

“Did something happen?” Fred asked in surprise. “Where are you going?”

“ _We,_ ” Hermione insisted, “are going somewhere else. We don’t need fancy Italian restaurants or ‘the other twin’ to have fun. Goodbye George,” she called out with a wave as she took Fred’s hand and dragged him out of the booth. He barely had time to toss a few Galleons on the table to cover their drinks before they left a confused George sitting at his booth.

* * *

Crossing to the Muggle side of the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione brought Fred to the cheap Muggle Chinese restaurant nearby where she often picked up their take-out whenever they had a movie night. She had never taken him with her before, but she wanted to now. If he wanted to give her a gardenia to represent new love in old friendships, then she wanted them to have a taste of comfort on their first date.

“They have the _worst_ customer service I’ve ever seen,” Hermione confided, quietly, “but you know their dumplings are to _die for._ ”

“They do seem a little grumpy,” Fred nodded to the old lady barking at what he supposed was her husband and her son in the kitchen, smiling in humor, “When I asked her for fortune cookies, she yelled at me to get them myself.”

“Yeah, I made that mistake the first time I came here. I think that’s how she differentiates new or returning customers. The cookies are in the basket over there,” she pointed to the end of the counter.

“Well, joke’s on her, I took four instead of two. We’ll get twice the fortune now,” Fred joked. 

Smiling, Hermione advanced to the counter and took the bags the old lady gave her. Knowing better than to ask for chopsticks or napkins, she made her way to the self-serving counter and gathered what they needed. Giving the bags to Fred, she took hold of his other hand and tugged him outside back in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron and their shops on the other side. 

They talked quietly as they walked, fingers laced together and enjoying the fresh air and relaxed atmosphere. She loved spending time with him like this, without other people pressuring him to be the clown who made everyone laugh all the time. This version of Fred was sweet, and funny yes, but in a softer manner than the showman he usually was in large groups.

She could feel him relax his guard with her, and it made her feel important to him, as if they had an intimate connection. Getting her wand out, she lowered the wards around her shop so she could let them in the side door leading to her flat.

* * *

“That beef chow mein was delicious, but I can’t eat another bite,” Fred exclaimed later, reclining against a cushion in the middle of her quaint living room.

“If that’s the case, I assume you’re too full to discover what your fortune cookie has to say?” Hermione laughed, sitting on the floor with her back against the couch. They had decided to be as informal as possible and thus had eaten their dinner on the floor. 

“I worked hard for those cookies!” Fred protested making a grab for the bag.

“You can have your fortunes as long as you eat your cookies,” Hermione shrugged. “If not, they won’t come true.”

“Wait, you’re telling me that Hermione I-dropped-out-of-Divination-because-it-is-rubbish Granger believes in Chinese fortune cookies?” Fred gasped, feigning shock.

“Well, you never know,” she winked. “Open your cookies!”

“Alright,” Fred agreed. Opening his first fortune cookie, he tossed the shell in his mouth. “Here it is: ‘A beautiful, smart, and loving person will be coming into your life.’ Well, I couldn’t have said it better myself,” he smiled at her blush. “And the other one… ‘A pleasant surprise is waiting for you.’ I wonder what it is,” he winked at her.

Hermione giggled. “Let me see mine,” she said, breaking them and eating the crunchy shell. “Hmm, ‘A lifetime of happiness lies ahead of you’ and ‘Get your mind set…confidence will lead you on’. Well, that was useful,” she laughed. 

“If my pleasant surprise lines up with your happiness…” Fred teased, winking. “I know of a few pleasant surprises we could unwrap together tonight.”

Taking hold of his hand, Hermione smiled.

“I had a great time tonight,” she told him. “At least after we ditched George.”

“It was long overdue,” Fred sighed, keeping hold of her hand as he leaned back against the sofa. 

“The ‘ditching George’ part or the date part?” Hermione chuckled.

“Both,” Fred laughed. “Obviously, I feel like I should apologize for the whole thing, but hey! It got us here so I have no real complaints.”

“True,” Hermione agreed as she snuggled into his side, his arm automatically going around her waist. “I’ve been around you and your brother long enough to not be phased by chaos. Although, there  _ is _ a complaint I’d like to make…”

“What is it? Is this about the fortune cookies? Because I already told you I wrangled more out of the Chinese shop than we should have!”

“You could say they’re related,” she smiled at him. “I’m honestly appalled at  _ your  _ customer services to our relationship. Wouldn’t you know that I’ve been waiting for five years for you to upgrade our working status to ‘dating’? If I didn’t know any better I’d thought you were doing it on pur—”

Sliding both hands along her jaw and into her hair, Fred took hold of her head and angled his to kiss her softly, silencing her for once. She quieted instantly (and happily) as she pressed her lips more firmly against his. When she let out a little sigh, he took the opportunity to trace her lips with his tongue, then backed out and sucked lightly on her lower lip, worrying it gently with his teeth. 

Hermione’s arms came up to wrap around his waist, pulling him close. She could feel herself melting and she gripped his shirt tighter. Slowly, their kiss came to a stop and they separated, opening their eyes to look at the other. 

Giving her a small peck, Fred’s smile broadened. “How’s that for ‘customer service’?”

Laughing, Hermione hid her blush by tucking her face into his chest. “Five stars. Highly recommended. However, I seemed to have snatched the last one. Oopsies.” She leaned up to kiss him again. 

After a few moments, Fred pulled back and sighed. “I guess this is where I say goodnight.”

“Why?” asked Hermione, confused and slightly hurt when he pulled away. “Are you going somewhere?” 

“It’s the end of the night, love,” he confusly stated, standing and grabbing his things by the door. “Isn’t this where we go our separate ways? I mean, I wouldn’t dare to presume...”

Hermione quickly stood, walked over to him, and kissed him again, this time a little more forcefully. She pulled him in by his sweater and raked her nails in his short hair, exploring his mouth as his arms dropped his things and wrapped tightly around her once again. Whispering against his lips, she tried to pull him backwards towards the couch. “After five years of waiting, Fred, please don’t make me wait any longer.”

As soon as those words escaped her lips, it was like a fire had been lit inside of him. He spun her back against the wall and crowded her, using his taller body to press her into the bricks and mortar. He took possession of her mouth, his tongue dancing with her own and tasting every part of her that he could. His hands slipped inside her jacket and settled on her waist. They were so large that his thumbs would certainly touch the underside of her breasts if he moved them any higher. 

Planting kisses to the edge of her mouth, cheek and jaw, Fred moved his lips to her earlobe and took it between his teeth. At her small moan, he asked her “You’re sure? You want this?” pressing his hips against hers to let her know  _ exactly _ what he had in mind. 

“Oh  _ yesss _ ,” Hermione hissed as he nipped and sucked down her neck. Turning around in his arms so her back was against his front, she angled her neck back to let him pursue his actions and fumbled to get her wand out to lock down her wards. There was no way she was letting  _ anyone  _ interrupt them tonight. It wasn’t easy to concentrate while Fred was pressing his erection against her backside as his hands were wandering over her hips, stomach and rib cage. Somehow, she managed it and allowed him to draw her back into the main living space, fumbling over their own feet as they went.

He walked her backwards to the back of the couch where he turned her to face him, lifted her, and sat her on top of the back of the sofa, her legs already locking around his hips to hold him close as their lips continually sought each others’. His hands glided along her shoulders and he slowly pushed her leather jacket off. He pulled away long enough to rip his sweater over his head before re-fusing their lips together while her fingers deftly sought the buttons of his shirt.

She took the opportunity to follow her hands and kiss his chest as his skin was revealed by his opening buttons, leaving him to figure out the fastening on her dress by himself. They were both successful as her dress pooled around her waist while he shrugged the open shirt off his shoulders. Standing up, she let the dress fall down to the floor and started to peel her tights down her legs while he stepped back to take off his shoes. He was slightly quicker at his task than her as he stopped her tights mid-thigh and made her sit back on the couch. He kneeled before her. 

Taking one foot at a time, he unzipped her ankle boots and tossed them aside. Sliding his large hands enticingly back up her calves, he slowly peeled the tights off of her, kissing her legs and tickling the sensitive skin behind her knees while doing so. Coming back up her legs, he looked up at her face while she grazed her fingers through his hair. 

“Thank you,” he smiled.

“For what?” her brows furrowed.

“For everything,” he smiled adoringly up at her.

“I think this is something you’re supposed to say  _ after _ ,” Hermione grinned, scratching her fingers lightly against his scalp.

“Then let me find another way to express my  _ gratitude _ then,” Fred smirked as he raised himself to a tall knee, bringing his face much closer to her groin as she perched naked on the back of the couch. 

“You don’t have to,” Hermione said, nervously. “I mean, if you don’t want to…”

“Oh, trust me,” Fred said mischievously. “ _ I want to _ . This has been a dream of mine for  _ years _ . Sit back, relax and enjoy, love.”

Leaning in, he took his time kissing her inner thighs and circling his fingers on her hips. Running his nose along the line of her underwear, he inhaled deeply. Tracing her gusset with his knuckle, he chuckled at the dampness he felt. “Oh my! Someone is eager.”

“Five years, Fred,” Hermione warned him. She clung to his head with both hands for support. “You’ve kept me waiting for five years. You don’t get to tease me after so long.”

“Right you are,” said Fred as he impatiently pulled her panties to the side and dove in. He tongued at her core to gather the moisture there and then circled up to her clit, tapping it rhythmically with his tongue while his hand crept up and he thrust a finger in her entrance. 

As soon as Hermione’s hips started gyrating against him, he added another finger and focussed on her front wall, curling his digits to hit the spongy spot that made her start squirming against him.

She could feel the coil behind her navel get tighter and tighter with each movement, bringing her closer to the edge. 

Just as she pressed her legs down his back to bring him closer, he sucked her clit in his mouth and the intensity of the sensation was so shocking that her release hit her instantaneously. Without Fred’s hand steadying her, she would have fallen over the couch. He never relented and kept licking at her, extending her pleasure all through her spasms. When it became too much, she had to wrench his head from her core with both hands, exposing his self-satisfied smirk. 

Fred pulled down her panties and stood up. He pulled her close and kissed her softly, enveloping her in his arms. Hermione could still taste her tangy musk on his lips and felt she didn’t mind. As she calmed down from her earlier release, she felt Fred’s still clothed erection pressing against her. 

“You poor thing. Let me help you with that,” she winked at him, hands going to his belt. “I feel like it’s my turn to  _ thank _ you.”

“As good as this sounds, love,” Fred groaned as he held her thighs and backed up from the couch, prompting Hermione to squeak and wind her arms around his neck or else risk falling. “I need to be in you  _ now _ . We’ll save that for later, okay?” he asked before scooping her up and making his way to the bedroom, carrying her in his arms. 

“So I’m getting the full service, huh?” Hermione teased him, kissing and sucking at his neck as he walked.

“ _ With _ complimentary breakfast if I have my say in it,” Fred joked as he dropped her on top of her thick and fluffy comforter. His hands flew to his own belt and he hurriedly removed his trousers and pants. He crawled on the mattress until he could press against her, fully naked for the first time. She knew that what she had felt through his trousers was substantial, but now that she was seeing him in the flesh, she was impressed. 

Cradling his hips with her knees, she embraced him and pulled him close.

He looked into her eyes, seeking confirmation that she was ready. When she nodded, he notched his cock at her opening and slowly pushed in. Inch by inch, he slowly thrust into her until he was seated balls-deep into her tight channel.

She kept gasping and moaning, the burn of the stretch taking a little moment to get used to it. 

While Hermione settled, Fred was doing his best to keep a tight lid on things. After so many years fantasizing about being with her, this was beyond his wildest dreams. He had only delayed her offer to blow him because he didn’t think he’d last a second in her mouth if she looked up at him with her lips stretched around his cock (one of his favorite shower wank mental images). Now that he was inside her, he didn’t know why he thought being squeezed by her warm core would be easier to resist. She was so tight, so wet, he felt like he would explode any second now if he stopped focusing on battle tactics to eradicate his mother’s garden of gnomes. 

Just when he got his urges under control, Hermione pressed against him, encouraging him to start moving. It took them a moment but they quickly got a rhythm going as Hermione rolled her hips and Fred thrust deeply into her. Still sensitive from her previous orgasm, he was able to quickly ramp her up to her previous state of arousal. Soon she was frantic as she wriggled beneath him, doing her best to pull him deeper into her. He was just about to adjust them to deepen his angle, when Hermione pushed him back and rolled over him without dislodging his cock from her cunt. 

Having more space to move, Hermione started to gyrate and meet every one of his thrusts harder, spurring Fred on as he gripped her hips to help her move above him. Arching up, he latched onto one of her nipples.

Panting, Hermione groaned and whimpered as she rode him, already getting closer and closer to another orgarsm. Under her, Fred had abandoned any idea of lasting longer and was flicking her clit in a desperate attempt to get her to come with him. Grunting, he used his other hand to pull her down by the neck and kissed her. 

“Come on, Hermione,” he panted. “I’m almost there. Come on, baby. Come for me.”

“ _ Fred _ ,” she whined. She was almost there. She was just missing something, but she didn’t know what. She could feel the pressure building and got more frantic in her movements when she could not find that missing piece. 

“I know you’ve got it in you, love,” Fred kept talking. “You’re so gorgeous when you come. Let me see you come for me again. Be a good girl and come on my cock for me.” Then he pinched her clit hard at the same time as he bit her clavicle. 

Hermione wailed, releasing the pressure all in one go. Her limbs stiffened and jerked, and only Fred’s hands kept her in position as he accelerated his own rhythm beneath her, still muttering nonsensical praise into her hair.

“That’s it,” he praised. “That’s my good girl. You’re perfect, baby, so fucking perfect. It feels so good, love. You’re my good girl. I love you so much, Hermi--io-- _ neee _ ,” he trailed off as he came, spasming and jerking against her a few times before sinking back in the mattress, pulling her down on top of him. 

Hermione pressed her ear to his chest, listening to his heart slow down after the earth-shattering pleasure  _ and _ revelations he had just unleashed on her.

Thinking it through, she realised that both of their feelings had been there for a long time and she was glad he had voiced them first, saving her the anxiety of over-thinking this. Just as Fred’s arms tightened around her waist to hold her, she pressed a kiss against the sparse copper hair over his heart.

“Remind me to change your contact info on my phone tomorrow,” she whispered, drowsy for the moment. 

“To what?” he asked, mindlessly tracing patterns over her back.

“How about ‘Handsome Boyfriend’,?” she grinned. “I wouldn’t want to confuse you with George and send  _ him  _ inappropriate texts now, would I?”

“Absolutely not,” Fred answered, elated. “All inappropriate texts should be sent to me and only me, my sweet and beautiful  _ girlfriend _ .” He leaned in and kissed her sweetly, unable to stop smiling.

“Oh, and Fred?”

“Yes?”

“I love you too,” she wrapped her arms around him tightly. “Happy Valentine’s Day, my sweetheart.” She snuggled her face into his chest, feeling warm and safe as he tightened his arms around her and kissed the crown of her head. 

“Give two minutes, love, and I’ll show you exactly how  _ happy _ Valentine’s day can be,” she heard him mutter against her hair. She smiled to herself. 

In her mind, it was already a Happy Valentine’s Day indeed, but if he wanted to go again, who was she to say no? Their fortunes  _ did  _ imply a lifetime of happiness and surprises.

**Author's Note:**

> Let it be known that all the fortune cookies messages were found after googling "classic fortune cookies messages". Some of the messages fitted better Hermione and Fred’s exact situation but those messages are supposed to be ambiguous and not predict exactly “a night of intense pleasure”.


End file.
